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Book of the Revelation

This book, the last in our Bibles, is not greatly understood. Maybe, there are some parts that will not be understood until they are fulfilled. We are not told to understand the words of the prophecy, but to keep them (Revelation 1:3). This is rather like Mary the Mother of Jesus who, as to certain things, it is said that she "kept all these things [in her mind], pondering [them] in her heart." (Luke 2:19) If we keep the words of God in our minds, the time may well come when we will see their import.

It is not proposed here to explain the book of the Revelation, but to point out certain things which may well help in the understanding of it.

(1) It is essentially a book of signs (Revelation 1:1). Today we are familiar with road signs, including direction signs, and to understand these we often need to know the highway code. The signs are not always self explanatory. This is often true in the book of the Revelation. However, clues as to their meaning can often be found in the Old Testament. Compare for instance what is said of Jezebel in chapter 2:20-23 with what is said of Jezebel in 1 & 2 Kings. Taking the signs literally can lead to error. For instance: if the gold in the heavenly city (Revelation 21:21) is physical gold then the city has an element in it which is perishable and corruptible, for gold is both these things (1 Peter 1:7 & 18).

(2) The prophets of the Old Testament largely dealt with physical judgements whereas the judgements which are in the book of Revelation are spiritual rather than physical. For instance, the judgements on the earth, sea, fountains and heavenly bodies in chapter 8 are clearly not physical. This is in accord with the New Testament generally which is largely concerned with spiritual things so that we have "worship...in spirit and truth" (John 4:23/24).

(3) The scenes depicted in Revelation seem strange to most, if not all, of us. This is because they depict what is not familiar to us. They show what is behind the scenes. John was taken up to heaven to see them (Revelation 4:1). This was not so with the Old Testament prophets. The position of John in heaven reflects the position of Christ's bride, the Assembly, when the judgements fall upon the earth.

(4) The prophecies in the Old Testament are largely concerned with Israel and the nations surrounding them, but the book of Revelation tells us of the destiny of the whole world, including the Assembly, Christ's bride (Revelation 21:1-8). Revelation deals with matters that arose early in Genesis and goes right on to the end. In the reference to the ancient serpent (Revelation 12:9) we are taken back in mind to Genesis 3:1. Similarly in Revelation 22:1-5 we are reminded of God's original thought in making the garden of Eden. However, at the end of Revelation we have the paradise of God (Revelation 2:7) rather than the original Eden which we may say was the paradise of man.

(5) As to the judgements: like the plagues in Egypt there is a noticeable increase in their severity. Note the statement in chapter 8:13 as to the woes. If the lighter judgements do not produce repentance sterner measures have to be taken (Revelation 9:20/21). Further, in Revelation the judgements tend to become more extensive. In Revelation 6:8 we have a fourth of the earth spoken of, but when the trumpets sound the judgements are extended to a third of the spheres judged (Revelation 8). However when the bowls are poured out there is no limit specified (chapter 16). The judgements also go from being indirect (the trumpets) to direct (the bowls). When the trumpets are sounded certain things happen, but when it is a question of the bowls they are poured out directly upon the objects of judgement. It may also be noted that man's environment is often the subject of judgement rather than man himself. Man is to be affected by the judgements and repent (Revelation 14:6/7). We should not overlook that there was a harvest for God through all the judgements. The fifth seal gives us one company and other companies of God's people appear in chapter 7. At the end of the period covered by the sixth trumpet there were those who were rightly affected by what had taken place (Revelation 11:13). Similarly, it is clear that there were people of God at the time of the pouring out of the sixth bowl (Revelation 16:15). God will always have his tenth so to speak (Isaiah 6:13). Judgement will result in souls being blessed as well as grace. We are now in a time of grace. Revelation depicts a time of judgement.

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